Comparative data file



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coMPARATIyE-DATA mm Filed may 27, 1941 CD CD ZJIZ I z 2 5LHUMWNW W 8 Y r8 A 1/ 5 15 j Patented Sept. 15, 1942 COMPARATIVE DATA FILE Jesse M.Jones, North Hollywood, and Cedric F. Gove, Los Angeles, Calif.,assignors to Charles R. Hadley Company, Los Angeles, Calif.,.acorporation of California Application May 27, 1941, SerialNo; 395,374

Claims.

This invention relates to a type of file composed of sheets containingentries extending over different periods of time, and which areconnected together in such a way that they can be moved laterally intoan echelon position so that the en- 5 tries on corresponding columns andlines of the different sheets can be seen simultaneously. Inconstructing a filehaving these characteristics, and which is capable.of covering an extended period of time such as a year, it is difiicultin practice to keep the sheets properly aligned with each otherhorizontally, that is to say, in a direction across the sheets, whenthey arefully extended. This is partly due to the fact that there mustbe a certain amount ofplay in the connections between the sheets, topermit them tov be extended into their echelon arrangement. In thepractical use of files of this type, each sheet carries a column at theedge, for example, the

left edge, on which entries are made, and each 0 mg a file composed ofthree sheets correspondsheet usually corresponds to a certain month. Inthe practical use of the file the sheets are shifted laterally into anechelon arrangement, so that the corresponding column adjacent the sameedge of the juxtaposed sheets are exposed alongside of eachother. Inthis way monthlytotals in a business, or similar entries ,over aconsiderable time can bedisplayedfor comparison alongside of each other.Where this period of time is a year or longer, it involvesthe use oftwelve or more light sheets. Whichare not easy to handle when fullyextended, and which cannotbe so readily collapsed into their normalfolded juxtaposed condition. One of the1 objects of this invention is toovercome this difiiculty, and to provide means whereby such sheets canbe more readily extended and folded back into their juxtaposedcondition. I

Furthermore, as reports of business are often rendered quarterly, one ofthe objects of the present invention is to provide, simple means wherebythe report sheetscan be readily handled inquarterly sets; that is tosay, each set of sheets corresponding to a period of three months.

The connections between the sheets which enable them to'benormally heldin juxtaposed position and-extended in echelon arrangement when desired,preferably involve the use of relatively thin flat bars or splints,which are threaded-or woven through perforations formed in theadiacentedges of the sheets.

One of the objects of the invention is to providea splint of simpleconstruction, which is admirably adapted for performing the functionssuggested above.

Further objects of "the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to bedescribed hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an efficientcomparative data file.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the followingspecification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 isa plan of a file embodying the invention when the -'file isadapted for comparing quarterly data records, a portion of the coverbeing broken away, and also a portion of one of the sheets of the filebeing broken away so as to disclose more clearly the manner in which theinventionis practiced.

Fig. 2 is a plan similar to Fig. l, but illustrat- .ing to the threeperiods of time, such as quarterly responding to such a quarterly,period in echelon arrangement. I

Fig.. 3 is a plan illustrating the bottom sheet of the three sheetsshown in Fig. 2, together with a portion of the carrier sheet thatcorresponds to, and which carries, the three monthly sheets indicated inFig. 2. The lower part of this View is broken away, and in this viewalso the position and relation of the splint is indicated, that attachesthe next carrier sheet in position, with portions of the same brokenaway.

Fig. 4-15 a plan of the upper end of one of the .carriersheetsparticularly illustrating the arrangement of perforations in this sheet,that adapts it to perform its functions in-cooperation with the splintsand the other sheets.

Fig. dais a similar View illustrating the il pper end of'one of the datasheets'also illustrating its perforations anditheir arrangement, whichen- .ables this data sheet tocooperate withthe carrier tratedin Fig.1.The sheets are offset from each other considerably in an exaggeratedmanner,

so as to enable their relation to each other and to each splint, to beclearly disclosed.

Fig. 6 isa-section similar to Fig. 5, taken along the lineB-B of Fig. 1,and illustrating moreor less diagrammatically, the-manner in which a setof data sheets is mounted shiftably on one of the carrier sheets.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the splints, the middle portion of whichis broken away.

Fig. 8 is a section taken through Fig. 7 on the line 88, and furtherillustrating details of the construction of the splint.

In practicing this invention, we provide a, file composed of a pluralityof juxtaposed carrier sheets, each of which carries a certain number ofdata sheets. We also provide means for connecting the carrier sheetstogether so as to enable them to be shifted laterally relatively to eachother, into an echelon arrangement. The data sheets are provided withVertical columns and are mounted on their corresponding carrier sheetsso as to enable them to be shifted laterally with respect to each otheron the carrier sheets, that is to say, along a horizontal line. The fileis adapted to be built up sheet by sheet, as the data sheets are addedfor the different periods of time to which they relatefor example, onemonth. The arrangement is such that the lateral shift of the carriersheets cooperates with the lateral shift of the data sheets to enablecorresponding columns of all the data sheets that are located toward thesame side of the sheets, to be exposed simultaneously to view. In thisway the corresponding columns for the entire period of time covered bythe file, can be viewed simultaneously and the entries compared.

Although in the following specification the sheets are described asconstructed for a lateral shift to the right to enable them to exposethe left-hand columns of all the data sheets, it

should be understood that if desired, the file can be constructed in areverse Way to enable it to be capable of shifting to the left-hand sideinstead of to the right, if it is desired to expose the right-handcolumns of the sheets instead of the left-hand columns. Furthermore,although it is expected that the file will be most useful whenconstructed to expose a single column in echelon, it should beunderstood, of course, that by allowing more exposed space, two or morecolumns at the left of each sheet could be displayed.

The splint, which constitutes an element of this invention, ispreferably constructed so that it has a certain amount of stiffness andresiliency. This greatly facilitates its being woven or threaded throughthe perforations in connecting the leaves together, and insures thatonce in place the splints will maintain themselves in the relation inwhich they are left, particularly as regards the sheet or sheets thatare engaged by the ends of the splints.

It will facilitate a disclosure of the invention to refer to Fig. 2, inwhich A indicates the first carrier sheet of the file. On thissheet'three data sheets I, 2 and 3 are attached in such a way as torender them capable of assuming a .more or less perfectly juxtaposedposition on each other, and so that they are also capable of shiftinglaterally. In the present instance this lateral shift is toward theright. In Fig. 3 the bottom sheet I of the data sheets is illustrated,and this sheet is preferably secured in a fixed position on the carriersheet A. The sheets 2 and 3 are mounted on the sheet I so that they arecapable of lateral shifting on this sheet. In order to accomplish this,each carrier sheet is provided with an upper row of perforations 4 and i(see Fig. 4) which cooperate as will be described hereinafter in thelateral shifting of the carrier sheets; and in addition to theseperforations 4, each carrier sheet is provided with a second row or setof perforations 5 and 6 which, in the present instance, are two innumber. The perforation 5 is located over t0- ward the left edge of thesheet, and the other is located near the middle vertical axis of thecarrier sheet.

The bottom sheet I and, in fact, all of the data sheets are providedwith outside perforations l and 8, and in the present instance, twoinside perforations 9 and I 0. In making up the file, the sheet I isapplied to the upper face of the carrier sheet A with the perforations land 8 in register respectively, with the perforations 5 and 6. Thissheet I may be secured in this position by any suitable means, but indoing so we prefer to employ a splint H such as illustrated in Figs. '7and 8. This splint is applied with its body 10- cated on the under sideof the carrier sheet A as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6. 'The splint isformed at each end with means for engaging in the registering openings5, '6 and l, 8, so as to secure these sheets together. The splint thatwe prefer to use for thispurpose, is formed with an integral offsettongue I 2 that is struck out from the material ofthe splint at eachend. Each of these tongues projects toward the adjacent end of thesplint- Each tongue is offset far enough to form a throat I 3 that issufiiciently wide to receive and hold two or more sheets -which are tobe connected togethera In the presentin stance, as illustrated in Fig.6, each tongue l2 engages the edges of the two registered openings 5 and1; and 6 and 8; in the. manner indicated. In reading Fig. 6 it shouldbeunderstoodrthat this splint andthe carrier. sheet .A and other sheetsare represented as bowedso as .to displace them from each otherandenable therelation of the splints to. the perforations-and the differentconnected sheets, to bemore readily 'observed. The data sheets 2.and 3are connected-up to the inner data sheet I by .utilizingthe perforations9 and ID in the manner indicated, that.is to say, each splint II iswoven through the perforations '9 and II] from above, the ends of thesplintsbeing secured in theoutside openings '1.'and 8.,

The. perforations! and 8 i,n the data sheets may be the sameperforations thatare used on the sheets for connectingthern into.1005671631 files. Such a file mayrequire a perforationat the bottom ofeach data sheetgcorrespondingin position to the perforation] shown inFigJla, This, however, is not illustrated in the drawing.

In addition to the bottom carrier sheet A, we may employ similar carriersheets B, C, D. We prefer to provide four of these carrier sheets tocorrespond respectively with the 'four'qua-rte rs of the year, eachcarrierf sheet carrying three data sheets corresponding to-the months ofeach quarter. Each of the carrier 'sh'e'ets is p'r'ovided with threeperforations 4, 4,4, as indicated in Fig. 4, disposed in a horizontal ortransverse row near the upper edgeof the sheet and above theperforations 5 and 6; The intermediate perforation of the threeperforations-4, 4,'4 is preferably located near the middle vertical axisof the sheet. Over toward the right of the carrier sheet, if theshiftis'to .be toward the right,'tlie perforation 4 is provided.

These perforations are utilized jincooperation with long splints|4,-threadedthrough the' perforations in amanner'quite similar to thatillustrated in Fig. 6, in which the splintsl-l are'employed. Fig. 2illustrates one of these splints-l5 applied on the bottomcarri er sheetto "secure the same to a back l5 which maybe in'the form of'afolderfincluding a coverfiap 1-6 which folds over the connectedsheetsat a folding Zone n.

The splint l4, used at thispoint, would bepfass'e d theperforationfifithe splint :14 being secured at its endsin theoutside-perforations4'of the'sheet B and threaded down 'throughthe-middle perforation 4 of the sheet A a'ndiip tl'irough theperforation 4*, as indicated "in Fig. 3. The carrier sheetsQandjD-ttould be attached similarly at the front ofth'e carrier sheet B.The relation of the connected-up carrier sheets is illustrated in anexaggerated Way in Fig. 5. In Fig. 5 the back [5 is illustrated as beingof considerable thickness, in which case the bottom carrier sheet A maybe secured at its left edge in a perforation l8 formed in a binder strip19 which extends longitudinally with the folding zone 11 of the back 15.

In practice, if desired, carrier sheets such as the carrier sheets A, B,C and D, can be mounted in loose-leaf ledgers on posts passing throughthe perforations 4, 4, 4, or two of them, and as soon as three datasheets have been attached on one of the carrier sheets, the carriersheet with its three data sheets can then be transferred to this file.

The carrier sheets are preferably of slightly heavier material than thedata sheets. This gives considerable stiffness to the extended sheets ofthe file and enables them to be readily shifted back into the juxtaposedposition for the carrier sheets. As the carrier sheets are shifted backinto juxtaposed position, the data sheets also shift into theirjuxtaposed position.

In practice, the splints are made of very thin metal. This preventsbuilding up considerable thickness in the closed-up file. This isadvantageous because it is evident that if there were many sheets in thefile there would also be the same number of splints connecting eachsheet into position. By placing the splint connections for the carriersheets out of line with the splint connections for the data sheets,relatively thicker and stronger splints can be employed for the carriersheets without affecting the total thickness or build-up of thejuxtaposed sheets in the closed-up file.

Many other embodiments of this invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a file adapted to facilitate comparisons of entries extendingthrough a relatively long time period, the combination of a plurality ofjuxtaposed carrier sheets, means for connecting said carrier sheetstogether so as to enable the same to be shifted laterally relatively toeach other along a horizontal line into an echelon arrangement; a set ofjuxtaposed data sheets carried on each of the carrier sheets and havingcolumns thereon for the entry of data, said columns corresponding torelatively short time periods; means. for connecting the individual datasheets of each of said sets so as to enable the same to be normally heldsuperposed with the corresponding columns in register, and also shiftedtransversely to the columns and laterally rangementy-the lateral shiftof the carrier sheets cooperatingwith the shift of the data sheets toenable corresponding columns "of all the data sheets toward the sameside'of the sheets, to be with respect to each other into an echelonarexposed simultaneously to view.

2. In a file adapted -to facilitate comparisons of entries extendingthrough the period of a year,

the combination of a plurality of juxtaposed carrier sheets, each sheetcorresponding to a fraction of a year, means for connecting said carriersheets together so as to enable the same to be shifted laterally along ahorizontal line relatively to each other into an echelon arrangement; 'aset of juxtaposed data sheets carried by each carrier sheetcorresponding respectively to months, and constituting a fraction of theyear, said "data sheets having columns thereon for the entry of datacorresponding to each month, means for connecting each set of datasheets to its corresponding carrier sheet and to each other so as toenable the data sheets to be normally held superposed with theircorresponding columns in register and also shifted laterally,relatively, into an echelon arrangement; the lateral shift of thecarrier sheets cooperating with the shift of the data sheets to enablecorresponding columns of all the data sheets toward the same side of thesheets, to be exposed simul taneously to View.

3. In a file adapted to facilitate comparisons of entries extendingthrough different time periods, the combination of a plurality ofjuxtaposed carrier sheets, said carrier sheets each having a row ofperforations, corresponding perforations of the different sheets beingin register when the carrier sheets are in their juxtaposed relation, aplurality of splints woven through the perforations, both ends of eachsplint being attached to the same sheet, and extending laterally on thesheets through the perforations, said splints and perforations enablingthe carrier sheets to be shifted into an echelon arrangement withrespect to each other, a set of juxtaposed data sheets carried on eachcarrier sheet, each of said sets of data sheets having perforationsregistering together when the data sheets are in their juxtaposedrelation, said carrier sheets having a second row of perforationsdisposed laterally across the sheets and in line with the perforationsof the data sheets, splints woven through the last-named perforations ofthe carrier sheets and the said perforations of the data sheets, andcooperating with the perforations to enable the data sheets to beshifted laterally with respect to each other into an echelonarrangement, said data sheets having columns for entry of itemsthereon;the lateral shift of the carrier sheets cooperating with the shift ofthe data sheets to enable corresponding columns of all the data sheetstoward the same side of the sheets, to be exposed simultaneously toview.

4. In a file adapted to facilitate comparisons of entries extendingthrough different time periods, the combination of a plurality ofjuxtaposed carrier sheets, horizontally disposed members for effectingsliding connections between said carrier sheets so as to enable the sameto be superposed in register with each other, and shifted laterallyrelatively to each other into an echelon arrangement, a plurality ofjuxtaposed data sheets carried 'on the carrier sheets, having columnsthereon for the entry of data, horizontally disposed links forconnecting the data sheets ter, and shifted laterally with respect toeach other and transversely of the columns into an echelon arrangement,the lateral shift of the carrier sheets cooperating with the shift ofthe data sheets to enable corresponding columns of all the datasheetstoward the same side of the sheets, to be exposed simultaneouslyto View.

5. In a file adapted to facilitate comparisons of entries extendingthrough difierent time periods, the combination of a plurality ofjuxtaposed carrier sheets, horizontally disposed members locatedadjacent an aligning horizontal edge of the carrier sheets, foreffecting a horizontal sliding connection between said carrier sheets soas to enable the same to be normally held superposed in register witheach other, and also shifted horizontally and laterally relatively toeach other into an echelon arrangement, a plurality of juxtaposed datasheets carried on the carrier sheets, having columns thereon for entryof data, means located adjacent the said aligned edges of the carriersheets for connecting the data sheets together so that the same arenormally held superposed with their corresponding columns in register,and so that the sheets can be shifted transversely to the columns andlaterally with respect to each other into an echelon arrangement, thelateral shift of the carrier sheets cooperating with the lateral shiftof the data sheets to enable corresponding columns of all the datasheets toward the same side of the sheets, to be 15 exposedsimultaneously to view.

JESSE M. JONES. CEDRIC F. GOVE.

